Local channel showcases school events

Students at Tonganoxie High School continue to add more shows and information to Channel 26, the local public-access channel.

When the channel will begin airing school board and city council meetings, though, still is uncertain.

THS media instructor David Walker said meetings and football games would be broadcast when more equipment is obtained.

"We're still trying to get some funds to get some more equipment to allows us to schedule some things, like the ball games," Walker said. "We're hoping we can show ball games, city council meetings by putting those things on timers."

Channel 26 displays school event schedules, along with lunch menus. Also, Tonganoxie Recreation Commission event schedules are shown. As for programming, the channel offers items such as THS coaches' shows and updates on school construction on Washington Street.

Walker said he recently spoke with City Administrator Mike Yanez and assistant city administrator Kathy Bard about listing council meetings and other city reminders on the channel.

"From closed roads to reminders of things you need to do to information that may be useful," Walker said, referring to city information.

Walker and Carl Robison, who handle technology issues for the school district, produce Channel 26 and Walker's media class students help provide footage and information to be shown on the local-access channel.

"It's definitely a work in progress," Walker said. "We have glitches with audio. And we're still working on camera techniques and working on some background stuff.

"It's an ongoing process, but really maybe a couple years in the process."

The informational channel is made possible through Sunflower Broadband, which is based in Lawrence.

Sunflower Broadband is owned by the World Company, which also is the parent company of The Mirror newspaper.